Never Again
by ReadingRed
Summary: Brennan's married, but it isn't the happily ever after she imagined.
1. Only Finn

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones

Title: Never Again

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter One: Only Finn

She'd met him after the boys' father died. He'd been gone for a year when Gunter came into her life. She wasn't looking for anybody. She didn't want a new husband or another father for her boys, after all, they had Booth, and he was willing to be the male influence Angela and others said the boys needed in their lives. But he came anyway and soon after their relationship turned serious. Gunter got along well with Benjamin and Finnian, in fact he got along well with everyone she cared about, except Booth that is. Gunter disliked Brennan and Booth's friendship since the moment he learned of it, but Brennan wasn't willing to let go of him, so Gunter learned to deal. Booth too, made it clear that he wasn't going anywhere and if Gunter was going to be in Brennan and her children's lives Gunter was going to have to accept that fact. He did, albeit reluctantly.

Benjamin and Finn were both so young when their father died neither had any real memories of the man, so Gunter didn't have much resistance on their part. It seemed like he was ready to take on the role of father and Brennan eventually let him. Gunter took the boys fishing and to the zoo. He taught Ben how to hit a baseball and the proper way to throw a spiral. He seemed to everyone to be the perfect father. Only Finn knew the truth.

Only Finn knew what Gunter was like when he was drunk. Only Finn had felt Gunter's fists as they rained down on his small body. Finn knew how to hide the bruises that showed up on his body after an especially bad beating. He knew that he had to hide what Gunter was doing to him from his mom and especially from Uncle Booth. What Finn didn't know was why it was happening to him. Why Gunter hit him instead of Benji. He wanted Uncle Booth to save him. Part of Finn wanted to tell his mom what was happening, but she was so happy with Gunter he didn't want her to be sad again. He remembered what it was like before Gunter came. His mom was sad all the time; he didn't like it when she was like that. She would act happy when Benji and Finn were around and sometimes when Uncle Booth and Parker were visiting.

Finn loved Uncle Booth and Parker. Gunter never hit him when they were around. Uncle Booth always asked if Finn needed anything. Finn knew what he was really asking but he never said anything. Gunter told him that he would hurt his mom or brother if Finn ever told anyone, so Finn kept silent.

"Finnian! Get over here boy!" Gunter yelled through the house. Finn jumped. What had he done this time? Quickly he walked to his step-father. Gunter grabbed him roughly by the arm, jerking his small body up closer to the man's body. Finn wanted to let out a whimper, it had hurt a lot, but he knew there was so much more to come, if he started crying now Gunter would just hit him more. Gunter rarely ever told him what it was that he had done. Finn was starting to think that he was just a bad boy and he deserved to be hit. It was the only reason he could think of for Gunter to treat him like this.

Finn let his mind float away as Gunter punched him over and over. He felt his body fall to the ground. He hated this part. Once he fell the punches stopped and the kicks started and they hurt so much more.

Finally Gunter stopped. "Now get to your room" Gunter grunted. Finn wasn't sure what he said or if he said anything at all but he found his legs automatically taking him to his room. He climbed the ladder to the top bunk and gently laid down. He let out a moan as the new bruises on his back and side touched the bed. He rolled onto his stomach and was glad that the bruises there weren't as extensive as the ones on his back. He fell into a fitful, exhausted sleep.

Then the nightmares started. It was a monster chasing him. The monster was big and hairy and it had Gunter's face. The monster said nothing, just grunted and growled and slashed at him with sharp claws. Finn begged the Gunter-monster not to hurt him. "Please stop. No, no, no, don't hurt me. I'm sorry. I'll be better. Please stop." Finn felt hands on him. Hands, not claws. Through the foggy haze of sleep, he let the hands pull him out of his misery.

"Finn! Come on Finny wake up. Finnian, please wake up. It's just a nightmare." Finn woke up but kept his eyes shut. Gunter never hit him when he was asleep.

"Finny, it's Ben, come on Finn wake up." Finn snapped his eyes open. It was his big brother, not the Gunter-monster. Next to Benjamin stood Parker and if Parker was here that meant that Uncle Booth must be here too. Finn felt relief flood his body. It chased away the pain from the beating. If Uncle Booth was here Finn was safe.

"Finn, what happened to your back? Did… did Gunter do that to you?" Benjamin asked.

"Finn, did he? We have to tell my daddy. He'll stop it" Parker said.

"No!" Finn's arm shot out and grabbed Parker, nearly making the boy fall off his perch on the bunk bed's ladder. He let go of Parker and repeated himself. "No" he said quieter. "You can't tell anyone. Promise. Please" he begged. They didn't understand. This wasn't happening to them.

"But we can't let him keep hurting you Finn. It's not fair" Benjamin said.

"We should run away" Parker said.

"We don't have any money. Where would we go?" Benjamin being the oldest of the tree boys at the ripe old age of seven had to be the voice of reason.

"But we have to Benji. We can't let Gunter hurt him anymore" Parker reasoned.

"What do you think Finn?" Ben asked looking over the railing of the bunk bed at his little brother.

"Let's do it"


	2. Avenging Angel

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones

Title: Never Again

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Two: Avenging Angel

The boys worked for two months to prepare to run away. The picked up every coin they saw on the ground. They took money out of the fountain in front of the Jeffersonian. They saved allowance. They raked leaves for their neighbors. They finally thought they had enough money. After two months of saving and working they had a grand total of $65.32. They knew where they would go. They would hide in plain sight. They'd all been to Hodgins' house and seen the expansive grounds. Hodgins showed them a few of the staff houses that were empty. He told them that they could play in them if they wanted, at the time it hadn't seemed important, but now it was their escape.

"Benny?" Finnian whispered to his brother.

"Yeah Finn?" Benjamin's whisper came back.

"I don't wanna leave mom."

"I know, me neither, but we have to. It the only way to stay safe. Uncle Booth will keep mom safe and we'll write her so she knows we're alright."

"Promise she'll be okay without us here?"

"I promise. Now go to sleep. We'll leave tomorrow after Uncle Booth and Parker get here."

Finnian was comforted by his brother's words and he rolled over and fell asleep.

The next morning started with a bang, or a yank as it were.

Gunter came into the boys room and pulled Finn out of bed by his hair. Finn yelped but it was cut off when Gunter dropped him to the ground. Finn landed on his shoulder and his body crumpled down on top of him. The kicks started. He felt Gunter's foot connect with his side and then his lower back. Finn curled into a ball, trying in vain to avoid the blows. Again and again the kicks came. His back, his legs, his head, nearly every part of his body was hit. When the kicking got old Gunter lifted his foot and started stomping on Finn. The little boy let his mind float away as he often did when Gunter was hurting him. Every once in a while outside sound would make it to Finn's safe place. He heard Benjamin yelling for Gunter to stop. He heard a door slam. Then he heard the best sound in the world, his mom's voice.

"Stop!" She yelled. Gunter stopped. "Get. Away. From. My. Son." Brennan ordered through gritted teeth. Finn opened his eyes and saw his mom holding a gun. She looked like an avenging angel. Her hair was down and splayed around her shoulders. The look on her face was fierce enough to scare any criminal.

"Babe. Come on now. It's not what it looks like." Gunter said as he stepped away from Finn.

"Oh really, cuz it looks like you're beating my son so tell me, if that's not what this is tell what it is." Brennan said keeping the gun locked on Gunter.

"It's his punishment. He did something bad" Gunter said in a condescending voice.

"What?! What could he have possibly done? It's seven in the morning; he hasn't been up long enough to do anything. And there's nothing he could ever do that would warrant you doing this to him." Brennan told Gunter. The man just stood there in silence. Brennan looked to her older son.

"Benjamin, call Uncle Booth. Tell him what happened. Ask him to come here as soon as possible. Call his cell, not his home phone; he might've already left his house. Tell him to use the siren. Use my cell to call Uncle Booth and bring me the home phone. I need to call 911." Benjamin nodded and ran off down the hall.

"Temperance, sweetie. You don't want to do this. I promise I'll never hurt him again. I'm so sorry babe. Please, they'll send me to jail. Please, don't do this to me." Gunter begged. He was slowly walking towards Brennan.

"Stop, don't come any closer. I will shoot you." Brennan promised. Her hands were steady. The gun didn't waver.

"No you won't babe. You love me" Gunter said. Brennan turned the gun to the left and fired. The bullet lodged itself in the doorjamb of the bathroom door.

"Sit down, as far away from Finn as you can get. Over there by that wall" Brennan said motioning to the far wall with the gun.

Gunter finally realized how serious Brennan was. He moved quickly over to the far wall and slumped to the ground. Brennan walked quickly to Finn. She knelt by her son and pulled the small boy onto her lap, keeping an eye on Gunter at the same time.

"Finnian, I'm so sorry I let this happen to you. Uncle Booth's coming and he'll take Gunter away. You're going to be fine" Brennan promised.

"Mommy, my head really hurts."

"I know baby. We're going to get you all fixed up."

"Momma, here's the phone" Benjamin said coming into the room holding the cell phone to his ear and the home phone in his outstretched hand. Brennan took the cordless home phone from her older son and dialed 911.

"911, what is your emergency?" The operator's calm voice came over the phone.

"My husband beat my son. I need an ambulance and a squad car sent over. Please hurry." Brennan begged. Finn was still on her lap, she held a phone in one hand and a gun in the other. She wasn't sure if she would be able to fight Gunter off if he tried something now. Her only hope was that Gunter would not realize that now would be his only chance.

Unfortunately fate was not on her side.


	3. To the Hospital

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones

Title: Never Again

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Three: To the Hospital

She saw it coming. Gunter lowered his hands to the ground and she knew, she saw it playing out in her head. He was going to push off with his hands and lunge at her and the boys. Brennan had already given the 911 operator her address and a description of Gunter. She hung up the phone and let it drop to the floor with a thump. She raised the gun and cocked it, preparing to fire. Gunter hesitated.

"Don't try to harm us Gunter. I will shoot you. Booth is on his way here. Even if you get away from here now, he will track you down and he will kill you, do not doubt that fact. I'm your only chance to get out of here alive. You are going to jail, but you'll be alive."

Gunter hesitated and Brennan held her breath. Finally she saw his arms relax and Gunter sigh as he slumped back down to the ground. Brennan looked at her children. Benjamin was still holding the cell phone to his ear. Was Booth still on the phone with him? She wasn't sure but, knowing Booth he would want Benjamin to keep the phone on and with him until Booth arrived. Finnian was asleep; his breathing was regular and deep. He didn't seem to be in distress. She was glad that he was asleep. In sleep he would not be in pain.

"Benjamin. Is Uncle Booth on the phone?"

Benjamin nodded and gave her the phone.

"Booth?" Brennan voice broke as she said his name.

"Bones! I'm coming. I'm on my way. Just hang on. I'm almost there." Booth's terrified, tense, voice came through the phone. Brennan wanted to cry at the sound of his voice. Booth was coming. Everything would be alright.

"Hurry please." She said trying and failing to keep her voice calm.

"I'm here. I'm pulling up to your place now. I'll be there in just a few seconds. Is your front door locked?"

"Benjamin. Go unlock the front door for Uncle Booth." Benjamin shot off down the hall, it was the fastest she had ever seen him move and he was a normally fast little boy so that was saying something. Maybe it's the adrenaline, the clinical said of her brain thought.

It seemed only seconds later Booth was coming into the room holding Benjamin on one hip and Parker on the other.

She was slightly surprised to see Parker with him, then she remembered that Booth and Parker had planned on spending the day with she and the boys. Booth must've already been on his way when he got the call from Benjamin.

Booth set the boys down and both children rushed over to her. Parker stoked Finn's forehead gently and Ben knelt next to Brennan getting as close as he could without being on her lap. Booth went to Gunter and handcuffed him; then he took an extra pair of cuffs and handcuffed Gunter to the bed frame. After he finished with Gunter he went to Brennan and the boys.

"Bones, I'm so sorry. I should've seen something. I should've known he was like this. I should've known he was doing this to Finn." He took Brennan and Finn into his arms.

"Bones… Temperance. Did he ever… did he do this to Benji and you?"

"No. just Finnian. I don't understand Booth. Why Finnian?"

"I don't know Bones. Finn's safe now. He'll be alright."

"We need to get Finnian to a hospital. I want someone to make sure he doesn't have internal injuries." Brennan said.

Booth nodded and stood. He held Finn gently and helped Brennan stand. For once she didn't get mad at him for trying to help her do something she could do on her own. Brennan took Parker's hand in one of hers and Benjamin's hand in her other and all together they headed for the door.

Parker opened the front door and on the other side stood two EMT's and two police officers.

"Ma'am? Are you okay?" One of the police officers asked Brennan.

"No, my son needs help." She nodded to Booth and Booth let the EMT's look at Finn. They asked Booth to set the child down on the sofa and they followed him back into the apartment.

"Ma'am, is he the one you reported to be abusing your son."

"No!" Brennan, Parker, and Benjamin shouted at once. "No, he is not. Booth is my partner. He's FBI . The one who hurt Finn is back in the boys' bedroom. He's handcuffed to the bed frame." Both officers left Brennan and the boys and went to check on Gunter.

They brought him out. Gunter walked between the two officers, each one keeping a hand on one of his arms. Gunter cussed as they dragged him out of the apartment. Brennan clamped a hand over Parker and Benjamin's ears and pressed their heads to her body. It was a reflex, someone cusses and you cover your children's ears. The normalcy of the action shocked her. The police officers took Gunter away and the EMT's said that Finn needed to go to the hospital. Booth carried Finn to the ambulance and Brennan climbed in.

"Will you bring Benjamin to the hospital? I want to ride with Finnian. I don't want him to be alone."

"Of course Bones. We'll follow you guys. I'll use the siren, we shouldn't be very far behind you."

Brennan nodded. "Benjamin, be good for Uncle Booth." She told her son. "I'll see you in a couple of minutes."

Benjamin nodded and grabbed Booth's hand.

The EMT closed the doors to the ambulance and it took off down the street. Booth watched part of his heart drive off in the speeding vehicle. He sighed and looked down at the two boys standing at his side. The boys looked surprisingly similar for children that had no biological relation. Parker was about four inches taller than Ben. And Ben had a darker shade of hair, but other than that the boys could easily pass for brothers, if not twins.

"Daddy" Parker said breaking Booth out of his thoughts.

"Yeah bud?"

"Can we go?"


	4. Recovery

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones

Title: Never Again

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Four: Recovery

They reached the hospital in record time. The EMT's unloaded Finn and Booth and the boys met them in the Emergency room entrance. The doctors immediately took Finn and Brennan, Booth, and the boys were left to sit in the waiting, hoping for news on Finn's condition.

Parker and Benjamin fell asleep curled up in the uncomfortable plastic chairs. Brennan and Booth were taking turns pacing.

Occasionally a doctor would emerge from the double doors to ask for permission to do one test or another. So far Finn had had a MRI, a CT scan, and an x-ray and they'd only had him for about an hour.

Another doctor came out to talk to them.

"Mrs. Brennan? Mr. Brennan?" He asked them. Normally they would've corrected such a mistake, now, what the doctor called either one of them wasn't very high on their list of concerns. They nodded instead, and the doctor began to tell them the news.

"Finnian has suffered serious injuries. He has a broken left arm, his right arm is fractured. He has four bruised ribs, a concussion, and we're watching his internal bleeding. As of now we think the bleeds will take care of themselves and we'd rather not open him up if his body has this under control."

"Can we see him?" Booth asked.

The doctor nodded. "He's in room 237. He's been asking for you."

Booth and Brennan woke up the boys and together they raced down the hall to Finn. They slowed as they got nearer to the door of his room. They entered quietly just in case he was asleep. He wasn't. Finn smiled and tried to sit up as his family entered the room. He winced and laid back down.

"Oh sweetie" Brennan said as she went to his side. "Don't try to sit up. Your ribs are bruised and it will hurt to move for a little while." She took Finn's hand in hers and sat down in a chair near the head of his bed. Booth went to the other side of his bed and brushed the hair off Finn's forehead.

"How ya doin' bud?" He asked gently.

"I'm okay now. They gave me some medicine that makes me feel kinda weird, but I don't hurt anymore." Finn said with a grin. It was the first time in a while he felt no pain at all.

"The cops took Gunter away!" Parker said. He thought it would make Finnian feel better that Gunter wasn't around anymore. He didn't expect Finn to react the way he did.

Finn began to cry.

"Mom, I'm sorry. Don't be sad. I'm sorry. I know you love him, I didn't mean for the cops to take Gunter away." Finn said as tears rolled down his face.

"No, Finnian. I would never be mad at you for that. Gunter is a bad man; I just didn't know it until now. I would never want to be with someone who hurt you or your brother. I promise you'll never have to see Gunter again. He will never hurt you again."

Finn nodded and closed his eyes. The other boys stayed quiet for the most part when Finn slept. When they started to get rowdy Brennan took them down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. A few minutes after they left the doctor came into the room.

"Mr. Brennan?" The doctor was young. Booth wondered if they shouldn't ask for someone more experienced to be put on Finn's case.

"No it's Special Agent Booth" he corrected the man.

"Oh, I'm sorry Agent Booth." The doctor looked ashamed that he hadn't known Booth's name.

"How's he doing?" Booth asked. The doctor looked down at Finn's chart he held in his hands before answering.

"Well he is recovering nicely. We've been monitoring him and he seems to be healing well. We'll take him back for another CT to make sure but it looks as if the bleeds are healing themselves."

"Doc, I'm not sure how to ask this but… has he… was he… did Gunter. Did Gunter molest him?"

"Mom? You're not mad at Finn for making Gunter go away are you?" Benjamin asked as he ate ice cream in the cafeteria. Parker looked up from his ice cream and both boys waited for Brennan to answer. Her reply was immediate.

"No, I am most certainly not upset with your brother. The only person I am mad at is Gunter. There is no reason in the world to treat anyone the way that he treated your brother. Uncle Booth and I are going to make sure that Gunter goes to prison and is never released."

"You gunna lock him up and throw 'way the key?" Parker asked.

"Well I'm sure they'll keep the key, but yes we're going to lock him up." Brennan answered in all seriousness.

Parker and Benjamin erupted into a fit of giggles while Brennan sat and stared.

"What?" She asked. The boy's only answer was to laugh harder.

Benjamin and Parker finished their ice cream and Brennan brought them back to Finn's hospital room. Booth sat hunched over Finn's bed. He looked up as they entered. There were tears in his eyes. Brennan felt her heart jump into her throat.

"Booth?"


	5. Special Place

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones

Title: Never Again

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Five: Special Place

"Booth, what happened? Is Finnian okay?" Bones said the words in a rush. Thoughts of all the things that could be wrong with her son flew through her mind. She pushed the negative thoughts out and waited for Booth to answer.

Booth ignored her questions and turned instead to the boys.

"Hey guys, I gotta talk to Bones real quick. Will you two keep Finn company while we step outside for a minute?"

The two boys flashed each other a look and the turned and nodded at Booth.

"Yup" Parker said.

"We'll stay wif' him and keep 'im safe." Benjamin said.

"Thanks boys" Booth said before walking out of the room. Bones followed immediately.

"Booth?"

"Months Bones! The doctor said this has been going on for months! Before you two were even married he was beating on your kid."

"Are you claiming that this is my fault?" Brennan asked defensively.

"No, God no Bones, if anything it's my fault. I'm trained to see stuff like this. I'm the one who supposed to get the gut feelings. Why didn't I know something was wrong? I saw the way he acted around Gunter. I should've picked up on something. I thought he was just upset that you married someone after his dad. I didn't know Bones. I didn't know…" Booth trailed off and more tears came to his eyes.

Brennan had rarely seen Booth cry. He was such a strong man, to see him in this condition and over her son none the less. It broke her heart.

"Bones, there's something else…" Booth said

"Mommy" Finn called from his hospital room.

"I'm here baby" Brennan said rushing to his side. "We're all here, Uncle Booth, Benjamin, and Parker, we're all here." She reassured the injured boy.

"I knew you wouldn't leave me. Gunter said you wouldn't love me if you found out, but I knew, I knew you wouldn't ever leave me." Brennan clasped his small hand in hers.

"You are correct Finnian. I would never leave you. Not for anything in the world" she stroked his small hand, one of the only parts on the boy that was not bruised.

"What was it you wanted to say?" Brennan asked Booth.

"Nothing Bones. It can wait."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah Bones, I'm sure. There's no reason to bring it up now. It can wait."

Brennan looked unsure, but quickly enough she turned her attention back to her son.

"Mommy?" Finn said.

"Yes Finnian? What is it? Are you in pain again?"

"No mommy. I just wondered if maybe you and Benji and Parker and Uncle Booth can stay with me here tonight. I don't wanna be here alone."

"Don't worry Bud. We aren't going anywhere." Booth answered for them all.

Hours later all three boys were asleep on Finn's hospital bed and Booth finally got the opportunity to talk to Bones again.

"Bones, about what I was trying to tell you earlier."

"Yes?"

"Well, when you took Ben and Parker to the cafeteria a doctor came to check on Finn and I asked him a few questions." Booth was avoiding her gaze. He wouldn't look at her. Instead his eyes focused on a spot just to the left of her right shoulder.

"Booth, tell me, please. You are worrying me."

"Bones, Gunter did more than beat Finnian. He molested him."

"No!" Bones yelled.

"Bones, I am so sorry." He took a step closer to her and she let him take her into his arms.

"No Booth. No, please no." She mumbled into his chest. "He would've told me if Gunter was doing that to him."

"Bones you heard him. Finn said that Gunter told him we would leave him if he ever told. Finn was scared." Booth told her.

"I will kill him Booth. If I ever see Gunter again I will kill him." Bones said it with such a cold sincerity Booth had no doubt that if she got the chance Bones would kill Gunter at that very moment.

"No Bones, as much as I would like too we can't kill him, but I do promise you that I will make sure Gunter is put away for the rest of his life. Think of it this way. Gunter's going to be the prison wife of some guy named Bo, and after the rest of the prisoners find out what he did he won't get a moment of piece. Even criminals can't stand a pedophile. They'll do to Gunter a hundred times over what he did to Finn."

"It's what he deserves."

"I know Bones. There's a special place in hell for people like Gunter."


	6. Trial

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones

Title: Never Again

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Six: Trial

"Today we're here to do what's right. We're here to put a man who beat his stepson, who molested his stepson, who degraded his stepson, behind bars. The case has been proven. You know this _man _committed the acts he is accused of. Do the right thing, send this man to jail for the rest of his life. Vote guilty." Caroline Julian finished the closing argument.

The case had gone well and Booth was certain that the jury would come back with a guilty verdict.

It had been months since Gunter was arrested and Finn had come so far. His nightmares were few and far between, and physically he had recovered. Sweets had offered his services as a shrink in the days after they found out, and Finn still went to see him twice a week. More than anything else though, Booth and Parker moving in had helped Finnian recover.

Booth and Parker being with him along with Brennan and Benjamin kept Finnian from getting too wrapped up in his own mind. They all gave him a sense of normalcy that his life had been lacking for so long. Booth was the only male that Finnian trusted and his being there let Finn relax. With Booth in the house Finn was just a normal boy. He went to school, played with Parker and Benjamin, he acted like he used to before Brennan met Gunter. Booth prayed now that the jury would convict Gunter and they would never again have to see his face.

The opposing council got up and made their argument but there wasn't much to say. There was too much proof against Gunter, even his lawyer knew it was hopeless. The jury was released to make their ruling and the judge issued a recess until the jury could come back with their verdict.

Booth and Brennan got up from their seats. They had decided early in the trial that the boys didn't need to be there unless one of them was testifying or the jury was coming back with the verdict. Neither Brennan nor Booth wanted to make Finn listen to and relive all that was done to him, and as far as they were concerned Parker and Benjamin didn't need to know any of the gory details.

"Don't worry Bones, they'll convict him" Booth reassured Brennan. They were walking out of the courthouse. Booth put his hand on her lower back as they walked.

"I am certain that you are correct. The evidence was convincing. If the jury has any sense at all they will all find him guilty" Brennan said in her no nonsense tone.

Booth chuckled and together they left the building.

"What do ya say we grab the kids and go to the Diner?" Booth asked as they walked up the drive to their house.

"I think the boys would enjoy that immensely" Brennan said with a smile.

"Boys! We're home!" Booth yelled as he swung open the front door. The sound of three sets of running feet greeted them.

Cries of "Mom" "Booth" and "Dad" sprang from the lips of each boy. Finnian was in the lead the other two boys close on his heels. As he got nearer he took a running leap and crashed into Booth's waiting arms. Benjamin and Parker chose Brennan as their target. As a single unit the boys plowed into Brennan, nearly knocking her off her feet.

"Oomph" Brennan said as the boys impact knocked the breath out of her.

"Did you guys have a good day?" Booth asked looking down at the boys.

"Yes!" Yelled Finn

"Lisa let us make homemade playdoh. It was fun" said Parker. Benjamin nodded with a worried smile.

"Mom?" she knew what he was trying to ask.

"We don't know yet. The jury was released to make their decision, but it's looking good." She filled the boys in on the trial so far.

"Enough about the case, what do you boys say we go out to the Diner, and maybe get a movie?" Booth asked.

"Yes!" all three shouted.

The trial was reconvened the next day. It had only taken the jury two hours to make their decision. Booth, Brennan, and the boys were sitting behind Caroline waiting for the judge to ask for the verdict.

Finally Judge Mancillas said the words they had been waiting so long to hear.

"Madam Foreman, has the jury reached its verdict?" He white haired judge asked the young foreman. She stood before answering.

"We have your Honor."

"In the matter of the State vs. Gunter White, how does the jury find?"

"We find the defendant… guilty."

"On the charge of first degree sodomy, how does the jury find?"

"We find the defendant… guilty."

"On the charge of Second Degree Assault, how does the jury find?"

"We find the defendant… guilty."

"On the charge of Felony Menacing, how does the jury find?"

"We find the defendant… guilty."

Booth and Bones had to keep the boys from cheering. They led the boys out of the courtroom and once they were outside the boys let a yell. Booth picked up Finnian and swung him around cheerfully.

For the first time since this had all started they were happy.


End file.
